Takeaways: Islanders Earn First Win of the Season, Beat Avs 6-2

The New York Islanders first win of the season was a full team effort, taking a 6-2 victory and playing a strong defensive game against a high-octane Colorado Avalanche team at Ball Arena.

Brock Nelson (2G), Kyle Palmieri, Anders Lee, Anthony Duclair and Mathew Barzal (EN) powered a six-goal win, while Calum Ritchie and Casey Mittelstadt scored for the Avalanche. Ilya Sorokin stopped 32-of-34 shots in his season debut, while Alexandar Georgiev stopped 32-of-37 in the loss.

The Islanders found themselves down 1-0 a minute into the contest after Ritchie deposited a feed from Josh Manson at the half wall and had a wide-open net to shoot at. The Isles made a push and found some energy after getting scored on early.

“They got that quick goal, but that didn’t deter us from playing our game and making sure we stayed level-headed,” Casey Cizikas said.

Anders Lee stuffed the puck into the net from the left side of the crease at 5:33 to knot the score at one apiece. Building off that offense, Kyle Palmieri batted down a Manson pass, beat him in a foot race to the net and raced in alone. Georgiev attempted a diving poke check, but Palmieri maintained control of the puck and shelfed it into a wide-open net to take a 2-1 advantage for the Islanders at 18:52 of the first.

Nathan MacKinnon laid a reverse hit on Alex Romanov that sent him crashing into the boards by the end of the period, causing a scuffle and resulting in Logan O’Connor and Scott Mayfield taking minors for roughing. The Isles maintained their pace in the middle frame and extended their lead to 3-1 when Brock Nelson went five-hole on Georgiev at 8:25 of the frame. Nelson was in action again shortly after, when he scooped up Cale Makar’s attempt to get the puck out of the zone, moved in alone on Georgiev and beat him cleanly for his second goal of the game at 11:14 shorthanded to make it 4-1.

The Avalanche weren’t going to go down easy, as Mittelstadt scored in the first minute of the third period to pull within two. Anthony Duclair regained the three-goal lead by receiving a feed from Romanov and sliding the puck past Georgiev. Mathew Barzal sealed the deal with an empty net goal at 18:48.

"We were resilient and managed to stay focused on our game," said Head Coach Patrick Roy. "We were outstanding in the second [period], we gave them nothing. It's a nice team win."

SOROKIN SUPERB IN SEASON DEBUT

After missing all of training camp and preseason action, Ilya Sorokin made his season debut, looking steady and strong between the pipes, limiting a powerful offensive team to just two goals.

“I just tried to focus on the simple thing that I could control and not think too much,” Sorokin said. “But it’s just one game, I don’t think about the results. I just think about my game and what I can do better.”

Sorokin helped hold off Colorado’s top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Ross Colton, facing 12 shots combined and limiting that line to just one assist.

The Russian netminder kept the Islanders in the game when the score was tight, including a strong save on Logan O’Connor midway through the first to keep it 1-1. The Isles outshot the Avs 11-5 in the middle frame – and although Sorokin faced only five shots – they were of high quality. The Avs poured on the pressure in the third period, peppering Sorokin with 17 shots and the netminder turned away 16 of them.

"In the third I thought he was outstanding,” Roy said. “In the first two periods we didn't give them too much, he made some good saves here and there but in the third [Colorado] had some really good chances. He was really solid and seemed really confident out there, which is good for us."

Perhaps one of Sorokin’s most stellar saves came midway through the second period, when he denied John Ludvig and Scott Mayfield swept away the puck to deprive Ludvig of a rebound attempt. Sorokin credits the support he got from his teammates in front of him, who blocked 21 shots in the win while the PK went 2-for-2.

“They played awesome,” Sorokin said. “Thanks to the defensemen and forwards. And the PK was really good tonight.”

ROMANOV PUTS OUT SOLID PERFORMANCE

Alexander Romanov played a crucial role in Monday’s win, using distinct physicality and strong hockey IQ to make some important plays.

He used his body and stick to save a goal, using his body and stick to not only save a shot from Mittelstadt, prevent a rebound attempt and keep it 1-0 Avs early in the first period. The 24-year-old defenseman also set up a goal, as he picked up the puck behind the goal line, patiently waited and sent a perfectly timed pass to Duclair, who made it 5-2 to cushion the Isles lead in the third period.

“He uses his body the way he does, the poise he used to send a nice feed to Duclair there, Romanov was solid tonight,” Captain Anders Lee said. “Romanov plays the way he plays, he’s a factor every night.”

ODDS AND ENDS

- Nelson has 109 goals in 239 games, good for 20th among players active since the 2021-22 season.

- Anders Lee's seven shots on goal is the most he's had in a game since Dec. 9, 2022, where he recorded 10 SOG against New Jersey.

- The Isles won their first game in the Mile High City since Dec. 17, 2018. The five goals they scored against the Avalanche is the most they’ve scored on the road against the Avs in 23 games, which dates back 28 years.

- The Avalanche took a moment during a TV time out to pan to Roy and his number 33 in the rafters on the jumbotron, but Roy was laser focused the game and admitted he didn’t notice.

“I’m here to win a hockey game,” Roy said. “Coming here, I was hoping we’d have a strong game and that’s exactly what we did, they played really well.”

NEXT GAME

The Islanders conclude their three-game Central Division road trip with a date with the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. eastern.